Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court has directed the authorities concerned in West Bengal to ensure that guidelines issued by the state’s Health and Family Welfare Department are followed while holding the Martyrs’ Day rally by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday, July 21.
Claiming that around 15 to 20 lakh people are going to attend the rally at Esplanade in Kolkata, amid rising cases of COVID-19 in the state, a prayer was made before the court in a PIL to direct the state to take adequate measures, and enforce rules to conduct the programme virtually or follow strict guidelines for holding the event.
Advocate General S.N. Mookherjee, appearing for the state, informed the division bench presided by Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava that the Health and Family Welfare Department has come out with guidelines for conducting the rally and those wanting to attend it.
The advisory said that only asymptomatic and fully vaccinated people should preferably attend public gatherings, adhering to Covid-appropriate behaviour.
The bench, also comprising Justice R. Bharadwaj, directed the authorities concerned to ensure that the guidelines are followed while holding the public meeting on Thursday on the occasion of Martyrs’ Day.
Disposing of the PIL, the court also directed the state authorities to take all possible steps to ensure that such a gathering may not lead to the spread of COVID-19 in the state and that the rally is held in a peaceful atmosphere.
According to the Indian Express, the rally could see TMC chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to chart the course the party will take in the next 12 months. Over the years, the rally has also witnessed leaders from other parties joining TMC. This year as well, experts speculate that members of BJP might defect and join TMC. Party insiders have stated that Mamata Banerjee is likely to set the tone for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
A huge number of people from across West Bengal have congregated at Esplanade, the city’s downtown area, for the mega Martyr’s Day rally by ruling Trinamool Congress being held amidst tight security on Thursday.
The annual rally is being held after a gap of two years due to the pandemic and enthusiastic party supporters started arriving at the venue from as early as 4 am in trains, buses and private vehicles. Many of them have arrived in the city two days ago for the rally, which will be addressed by TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.
TMC workers were seen arriving at the two terminal stations of Howrah and Sealdah in overcrowded local trains holding party flags, cutouts of Banerjee playing the traditional ‘dhaaks’ (double sided drums) and even blowing conches.
At least 4,500 police personnel have been deployed across the city to maintain law and order in the city during the day.
This year’s rally is also special as it is the first after the party’s decisive victory in the state election in 2021 and TMC’s return to power for the third consecutive term.
Banerjee had said on Wednesday said that the Martyrs’ Day rally will be against the Centre’s “authoritarian rule”.
TMC observes Martyrs’ Day on July 21 every year to commemorate the killing of 13 people in police firing on a Youth Congress rally against the then Left Front government in 1993 when Banerjee was the YC state president.
She continues to observe the day even after forming the Trinamool Congress in 1998 and coming to power in West Bengal in 2011.
(With PTI inputs)
Source: https://thewire.in/politics/calcutta-hc-asks-covid-norms-to-be-maintained-at-tmcs-martyrs-day-rally
